Barack Obama's India visit: Shut hotels on Agra routes, says US agency

NEW DELHI: A week ahead of Barack Obama's visit, the US secret service has requested police to ensure that hotels and eateries around the Delhi-Agra routes are closed for three days from January 25. Delhi Police sought cooperation from their counterparts in the neighbouring states to implement this during an inter-state security meet chaired by commissioner BS Bassi on Friday.

A liaison team of US secret service and CIA met Delhi Police officials on Friday and expressed their concern about the security of roads heading towards Agra. Police sources said that an input suggests that these hotels can be used by terror modules to lodge their operatives near the capital to hamper Republic Day celebrations.

Police sources said that all routes going towards Agra will also be sanitized days before the arrival of the US President. The meeting, which was attended by police chiefs of Ghaziabad, Noida, Sonipat, Gurgaon and Jhajjar, also shared terror-related intelligence and inputs about various extremist outfits, besides curbing criminal activities in the NCR.

Initiatives have been taken to increase police presence in the city and bordering areas. Intensive and coordinated checks are also being conducted at vulnerable points. Bassi also requested the police chiefs to step up their drives to verify tenants and check guesthouses. Police said that cyber cafe owners, second-hand car dealers, transporters, property dealers, cycle sellers, chemical dealers and PCO booth owners will also be sensitized during this drive.

Police said the top cops also discussed the issue of diverting heavy vehicles from January 23 to 25 as the roads heading towards Delhi will be shut. Armed patrols would also be present at border areas to prevent the entry of criminal elements into the city.

Sources said cops would also make provisions to make sure that vehicles carrying supplies for about 1,600 US officials are also made during this period.